Method for reducing dry gelatin to solution



May 10, 1932.

E. T. ERICKSON METHOD FOR REDUCING DRY GELATIN T0 SOLUTION Filed March8, 1930 Patented May 19, 1932 s rat METHOD FOR R E DUCING DRY- GELATINF:T92 SOLUTION Application filed March 8, 1930. Seria1 No.'43 4,472.-

The invention relates to gelatin and more particularly it relates to animproved method and means for changing or transforming gelatin in thedry form of granules or flakes, assumed to be gelatin in the hydrogelstate to gelatin dissolved in water or gelatin in the solution form,assumed to be gelatin in the hydrosol state.

The solubility ofv gelatin in water is a characteristic propertyrecognized by scientitle and technical workers in certain industries.For example, in the manufacture of confections such as marshmallows, themaking of a proper solution of gelatin is an essential process. Not onlyis gelatin used-as an ingredient of certain types of candies but it is aprominent ingredient in many other products.

The ordinary manual procedure and temperature relationships now employedin industries for putting gelatin in the solution state. is to soak thedry gelatin in at least four times its weight of water at a temperaureof 50 degrees Fahrenheit to degrees Fahrenheit. The required weight ofdry gelatin is very slowly poured into a vessel containing the requiredweight of water, accompanied by vigorous stirring. This stirring is toinsure a complete Wetting of each gelatin particle throughout the masswithout the formation of clumps of dry gelatin as later described.

Shortly after pouring the dry gelatin into the water a phenomena knownas the swell occurs. during which time the mass appears to undergo aradical change in consistency. The gelatin soaks up the water so thattheresult is a stiffened jelly-like substance. In this condition it isimpossible to effect a further mixing or complete the wetting of thegelatin'particles by the water so it-is obvious that a perfect mixtureshould be effected in the short time interval before the swell. Afterthe swell the vessel containing the jelly-like water and gelatincombination is allowed to stand at room temperature for a period of timevarying from a few minutes to an hour. The vessel is then placed in awater or steam bath to bring the contents-up to a temperature of notmore than: 150 degrees Fahrenheit, meanwhile, being. frequently stirred.At this temperature the contents ofythe vesselxhas lost" its jellylikeproperty and has become a liquid;

In the above describedprocess of: putting 55 gelatin into solution, theexperienced operator varies the time, temperature and con oentrationswithin certain limits to secure the desired results. With certain" typesof gelatin it appears unnecessary'to provide ,for so the timeperiodafter the.swellperiod: In such cases the drygelatin is pouredintoxa vessel containing water at a temperature of 100 degrees to 150degrees Fahrenheit; and

the, contents of the vesselthen brought up 5 to a temperature ofabout150 degrees Fahrenheitzby placing the Vessel in a hot water or steambath' as'beforedescribed' The preparation ofa solution of amass ofgelatin, either flake or granular,by'themeth 70,

ods heretofore practiced, requires skill and strict and painstakingattention 4 throughout the process-to avoid waste and to obtain athoroughand uniform wetting, of the mass,

to effect the-subsequentsolution; Iirmany cases a waste of material anda;s0lution :not entirely satisfactory result even when the process-isunder the supervision ofa'careful and attentive operator. One of theundesirable results; ofputting the gelatininto so-luso branous elasticcoating or film forms around and aboutthe mass of dry gelatin inimmediate contact'with the water. This coating acts as an occludenttending to: keep the water from access-to the particles of "the, in-

terior'of the mass Constant-vigorous stir ring for a more or'lessprolonged period of time after the solution is heated :is required tobreakup this occlusivecoating. 'andthe fresh coatingszwhich form on theexposed surfaces of the mass as it'is gradually broken up. This stirringcreates an undesirable amount of foam.

Gelatin is a complexprotein substance, of unknown compositionv- Ithasno-defini-te melting point-and there exists few reliable l physicaltests of its properties. The property of the solubility of gelatin inwater varies with time and temperature. The efiect of time andtemperature on the solution of gelatin cannot be foretold by inspectionor analysis as is the case with substances of more definite composition.This limited knowl edge of gelatin makes it highly desirable that thehuman equation be eliminated as much as possible in reducing any batchof gelatin to a solution.

The invention contemplatesan improved method and means for changing ortransforming gelatin from its dry state to its solution state and hasamong its objects; the putting of gelatin into solution in a period oftime much shorter than has been heretofore required; the minimizing oflabor required to change thegelatin from its dry state into its solutionstate; insuring the complete wetting or moistening of the surface of thedry gelatin particles in such a fashion as to eft'ect complete solutionwithout the formation of objectionable clumps of dry material; a methodof reducing any batch of gelatin to a solution form requiring theminimum attention from an operator and in a mannerin which no highdegree of skill is required for successful manipulation; to theproviding an improved method of putting gelatin into solution whichprevents the formation of an occludent film about a mass of relativelydry gelatin; the method of reducing the dry gelatin particles to asolution with a minimum foaming of the solution; reducing the loss ofjelly strength of gelatin due to overheating and prolonged heating.

Many other further andmore particular objects and advantages ofthemethod and construction herein described and shown willbe obvious tothose skilled in the art from the description, disclosure andspecifications herein given.

With the foregoing in view, this invention JIOVlClGS a method forthoroughly covering the surface of each grain, flake or particle of themass of the gelatin or other material to be wetted or dissolved withwater and a relatively simple means for regulating the proportions ofthe water and the gelatin or material as well as for controlling orregulating the temperature of the resulting solution.

Referring now to the drawings;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device with which the method of theinvention is practiced; and

Figure 2 is a View of a portion of the device shown in Figure 1, drawnto larger scale.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral?)designates a standard, the lower end of which terminates in a base 8 ofsufficient size to make the device stable and to prevent it from.overturning easily. The standard 9 and its supporting base 8 provide asuitable and portable structhe lower end of the pipe 12 are preferablyhorizontal and the ring is provided with a plurality of apertures ororifices 14, having their axes inclined downwardly and inwardly.

The Water escapes through the apertures 14 i in fine streams or jets toform a conical shaped spray.

These fine streams impinge upon each other at a point in the verticalaxis through the ring 13. A valve 15 is provided to conif trol the rateof flow of water from the con-- tainer 10 into the ring 13 and thencethrough the apertures 14. Q

A conical shaped hopperll is also supported on the standard 9by means ofa band Gsimilar to the band 7 The hopper 11 is used as a receptacle fordry gelatin. The vertical axis of the hopper 11 is in alignment with thevertical axis of the ring 13 and has at its apex an opening 16 whichpermits the dry gelatin contained in the hopper 11 to flow in a linestream downwardly into contact with the converging streams or jets ofwater at their point of impingement, thereby subjecting each particle ofthe dry mass of gelatin to contact with the water from all sides andthoroughly wetting and saturating the surface of each particle of themass. The pipe 12 has its vertical portion of a length to providefor anadequate head suflicient to V cause the streams of water coming throughthe apertures 14 to meet at a common point; Sprays of shapes other thancircular may be provided, the only requirement being that they impinge aplurality of jets of waterat a common point in the vertical axis of thehopper 11. A receptacle 19 is positioned on the base 8 to receive themixtureof gelatin and water flowing respectively from the hopper 11 andthe container 10. I H

Describing now the method as practiced in connection with the device,the container 10' is filled with a measured quantity of hOtr water whichmay be at any temperature up 7 to boiling. The water when released byvalve 15 immediately starts to flow down the pipe 12 into the ring 13and through the aper tures let. As soon as the water jets undergoimpingement the dry gelatin, accurately weighed, is poured into thehopper 11 and.

immediately starts to flow through-the opening 16, this flow continuinguntil the hopper is empty. 1

It is essential that the device be so constructedthat the time periodrequiredforthe flow of the entire gelatin content of theihopper 11through the opening 16 be not longer than the time period required forthe flow of water from container 10 through pipe 12 and through the ringdevice 13.

The gelatin as placed in the hopper 11 is obviously at room temperatureand if the water is placed in the container 10 at, say,-

165 degrees Fahrenheit, it will, during the process of spraying on thedry gelatin and subsequently falling into the receptacle 19 be cooled toa lower temperature, the amount of cooling depending upon a number offactors. These factors include the mass of water flowing through thering relative to the mass of dry gelatin flowing from the hopper 11; thetemperature of each mass; the temperature of the room in which theoperation takes place; the distance which the water-gelatin solutionfalls into the receptacle 19. By very simple trial experiments, thetemperature at which the water must be placed in the con tainer 10 tosecure a water-gelatin solution of a desired or prescribed temperatureis easily determined.

The water-gelatin solution as it is received in the receptacle is readyfor immediate use and due to the fact that the water wets and dampensand therefore swells the gelatin in a characteristic fashion no stirringis necessary and therefore foaming of the solution is reduced to aminimum.

The invention contemplates as coming to be used. The drawings illustratea device which is found satisfactory in the practice of the methodcomprising my invention, but it is understood that modificationsdepending on the particular application may be made in the same withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention and I do not wish to beunderstood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction,arrangement and combination of parts as shown.

The device has been in actual operation and has proven very effective inpreparing solutions of different concentrations of gelatin at varioustemperatures and various size batches, up to commercial batches totalingmore than five hundred pounds of solution.

The method is adapted for putting crystalloids as well as colloids intosolution, regardless of whether the crystalloids are readily soluble inwater such as sugar for example, or whether they are of the type whichit is desirable to wet or dampen before placing in solution such forexample as boric acid.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. The method of saturating amass of finely divided particles ofmaterial, which consists in creating an inwardly converging spray ofliquid, causing the liquid comprising said spray to convergesubstantially at a point, and then passing each of said particlesthrough said point in single file.

2. The method of mixing a mass of granular material with a liquid, whichconsists in creating an inwardly converging spray of said liquid,causing the liquid spray to converge substantially at a point, passingthe particles comprising said mass through said point and collecting theresulting mixture.

8. The method of mixing a mass of granular material with a liquid, whichconsists in creating an inwardly converging spray of aid liquid, causingthe liquid spray to converge substantially at a point, passing theparticles comprising said mass through said point one by one andcollecting the resulting mixture.

l. The method of saturating a mass of finely divided particles ofmaterial, which con sists in creating and maintaining an inwardlyconverging spray of liquid, causing the liquid comprising said spray toconverge substantially at a point and causing each of the particlescomprising said mass to pass through the point one by one.

5. The method of saturating a mass of finely divided particles ofmaterial, which consists in creating and maintaining an inwardlyconverging spray of liquid, causing the liquid comprising said spray tomeet substantially at a point, suspending said mass of material abovesaid point, and permitting the particles comprising said mass to drop bygravity, one by one through said point. I

6. The method of saturating a mass of finely divided particles ofmaterial, which consists in creating and maintaining an inwardlyconverging spray of liquid, causing the liquid comprising said spray to.meet substantially at a point, suspending said mass of material abovesaid point, and permitting the particles comprising said mass to flow bygravity through said point in a fine stream.

7'. The method ofputting a mass of finely divided particles of materialinto solution, which consists in creating an inwardly converging sprayof liquid, causing the liquid spray to converge substantially at apoint, then causing each of the particles comprising said mass to passthrough the point one by one and collecting the resulting mixture.

8. The method of putting a mass of particles of dry gelatin intosolution, which consists in creating an inwardly converging spray ofliquid, causing the liquid spray to converge substantially at a point,passing the particles comprising said mass through said point, andcollecting the resulting mixture.

9. The method of putting a mass of finely divided particles of drygelatin into solution, which consists in creating an inwardly convergingspray of liquid, causing the liquid spray to converge substantially at apoint, suspending said mass of gelatin over said 'point, permitting theparticles comprising said mass to drop by gravity one by one throughsaid point, and collecting the resulting mixture.

' "5 10. The method of'putting a mass of finelydivided particles of drygelatin into solution, which consists in creating an inwardlyconvergingspray of liquid, causing the liquid spray-to convergesubstantially at a point,

1 suspending said mass of gelatin over said 7 point, permitting thegelatin to flow in a fine stream through said point, and collecting theresulting mixture.

11. The method of putting a mass of particles of dry gelatin intosolution, which consists in heating a volume of Water, causing the waterto take the form of an inwardly directed spray converging at a point,suspending said mass above said point, permitting the particles ofgelatin to flow one by one through e said point and collecting theresulting mixture;

12. The method of putting a mass of "granular particles of gelatin intosolution,

which consists in heating a volume of water to a temperaturesubstantially higher than the atmosphere, causing the water to take theform of an inwardly directed spray converging substantially at a point,suspending said 7 mass above said point, permitting the partij .T'

cles of gelatin to flow in a fine stream through said point andcollecting and permitting the resulting mixture to stand until thegelatin goes into solution.

13. The method of saturating a mass of I finely divided particles ofmaterial, which consists in providing a plurality of oppositelypositioned sprays of liquid, causing said sprays to converge andintersect in a preder 40 termined zone and causing the particles com- Iv 7 j f.

prising the mass to pass successively through said zone, and thencollecting the resulting m1xture.

14:. The method of bringing a finely divided mass of particles ofmaterial to be disv solved into intimate contact with a solvent, whichconsists in forming the solvent into oppositely positioned sprays, thendirecting the sprays inwardly to a predetermined zone 59 ofintersection, then successively passing the 1 p C'j particles throughsaid zone of intersecting sprays of solvent, and then collecting theresultant mixture.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe V my name this 4th day ofMarch, A. D. 1930; i c p 2- EMERY T. ERIGKSON.

